Weird History

How a Coal Mine Dig Unearthed a Prehistoric Mega-Snake (2020x107)

Uitzenddatum: Sep 30, 2020

Most people have never heard of the Cerrejón coal mine, located in Colombia. The mine pumps out over 30 million tons of coal each year, and it's also become a critical site for scientists. In fact, the coal mine ranks as one of the best fossil sites in the world, providing a window into a tropical rain forest from 60 million years ago. Scientists almost missed the fossils at Cerrejón - until an undergraduate noticed a surprising number of sandstone impressions of fossil leaves. His discovery led to an expedition that found multiple new species, including the largest snake in history.